“Restoring public confidence in CPRIT is critical, and I believe having two recognized leaders like Wayne and Bill assuming leadership roles will go a long way toward improving the institute's management and restoring confidence in its operations,” said Jimmy Mansour, chairman of the agency's board, known as the oversight committee. “They'll bring immediate credibility with the Legislature.”

Roberts, associate vice president for public policy at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, said his first priority will be making sure CPRIT provides information that Gov. Rick Perry and the Legislature need “to move the agency forward.” He cited his ability to work with legislators as his top qualification for the job.

Roberts said he will take a leave of absence from UT while serving the cancer agency.

The agency agreed this week to stop issuing new grants until it can ensure the public it has corrected problems involving bypassed procedures, conflicts of interest and a lack of transparency, problems that became apparent in two commercialization grants totaling more than $30 million in taxpayer money. Both projects have been halted.

Mansour announced Friday that the agency has recovered missing 2010 emails concerning one of those projects, an $11 million grant to a Dallas company, Peloton Therapeutics. Mansour last week directed the agency to employ forensic experts to find the emails, which were mentioned in an internal CPRIT audit as having the potential to shed light on why the Peloton grant was never reviewed.

Mansour said he could not provide any information about the content of the messages.

Roberts said he was approached about the CPRIT interim executive directorship this week by a representative of Perry's office who he declined to name. Roberts is closely aligned with Perry. He is a 2009 appointee of the governor to the State Pension Review Board and has served as Perry's senior adviser for higher education, senior fiscal adviser, state budget director and assistant director of budget and planning.

Hamilton works as a private consultant, specializing in issues related to tax and fiscal policy. He is on the board of directors of Kalon Biotherapeutics, which in March 2012 was awarded a $7.9 million CPRIT commercialization grant. Hamilton said Friday he will resign from that board.

The oversight committee is expected to launch a national search for a permanent executive director at its Jan. 17 meeting. At the request of committee member Tom Luce, the board will also consider questions about the agency's foundation, which raises funds to supplement the salaries of top staffers.

The foundation was the subject of tough questioning at a hearing of the House appropriations committee Thursday.